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Homemade Graham Crackers

Posted by Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking on June 25, 2015

27 Comments // Leave Some Love

Never buy Graham Crackers again with this quick and simple Homemade Graham Crackers recipe. Can be enjoyed alone, used for an amazing S’mores, crumbled up to make cheesecakes, or pies.

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Hi friends! How are you all?

As you all are probably aware by now, I live in the UK. Specifically England.

In the UK, there’s no such thing as graham crackers. The closest thing we get is the digestive biscuit. A digestive biscuit is a sweet-meal biscuit (cookie) with wholemeal flour.

I’ve always been curious whether graham crackers are really the same thing as digestive biscuits. Or whether one was in fact better than the other.

One of my daughter’s friends, who left England to live in the US, recently came back for a visit and told me that graham crackers tasted completely different to digestive biscuits.

This peaked my curiosity and I just had to know once and for all. I mean, could I have been missing out on an amazing graham cracker crust for pies and cheesecakes all these years?

Since I couldn’t get my hands on a pack, the best way to go was to make my own using a traditional US recipe.

This recipe is so quick and easy too. I was surprised at how simple graham crackers are to make when I hear digestive biscuits are a pain in the butt to make.

Even if you can buy them where you live, with this homemade version you know exactly just what is going into your graham crackers with no hidden nasty extras, and probably taste even better than the branded counterpart (but I can’t verify on taste having never tried the real thing).

Not only that, but because they’re so simple to make, homemade graham crackers could even save you money.

You can use these homemade graham crackers for an extra tasty homemade s’mores, in any recipes that call for graham crackers (or digestive biscuits, depending on your location).

You can even use these crackers crumbled up to make these fabulous key lime cheesecake bars.

Yield: 48 crackers

Homemade Graham Crackers

Never buy Graham Crackers again with this quick and simple recipe. Use for an amazing S'mores, or crumbled up to make cheesecakes or pies.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Ingredients

200g / 7oz (scant 1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
120g / 4oz (¾ cup + 1 tsp) wholemeal flour
55g / 2oz (scant 1 cup) wheatgerm
½ tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 tsp cinnamon
225g / 8oz (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g / 5½oz (¾ cup) light brown sugar
2 tbsp runny honey

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line three large baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, wheatgerm, salt, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and cinnamon. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream the butter, sugar and honey until fluffy. Add the whisked dry ingredients and beat on a lower speed until combined and a dough starts to form - it will be sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide into quarters and roll out each piece to roughly 25×16cm (10×6-inch) rectangles, around 3-4mm (⅛-inch) thickness.
Using a sharp knife, trim the outermost edges of each rectangle to straighten the edges, and divide each rectangle into three (3). Score each rectangle half-way through being gentle not to cut all the way through the dough.
Pop the baking sheets in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
Remove two (2) baking sheets from the freezer and if desired, use the end of a skewer, chopstick or a fork to make a pattern in the dough.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through for an even colour. The crackers should be golden brown when baked.
Remove from the oven and if needed, trim the edges while still warm to neaten the edges.
Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat with the remaining sheets of dough.
Store cooled crackers in an airtight container.

Notes

Notes:

If you're in the UK, you can buy the wheatgerm in health food shops such as Holland & Barrett.

Homemade/Copycat Graham Crackers Recipe by Sweet2EatBaking.com

Graham Crackers or Digestive Biscuits?

And the outcome, by the way, is that graham crackers do taste a lot like digestive biscuits. However, graham crackers are a heck of a lot crumblier (see the sides of the snapped crackers in the photos), and aren’t as crisp as the digestive biscuits. The biscuits have a crisper crumb and snap.

What would you make with your homemade graham crackers?

Recipes using graham crackers from friends:
S’mores Cupcake Jars by Baking a Moment
Peanut Butter S’more Bars by Tastes of Lizzy T’s
S’mores Thumbprint Cookies by The Domestic Rebel

campfire cheesecakes DIY graham crackers homemade pies recipe s'mores

Posted by Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking on June 25, 2015

27 Comments // Leave Some Love

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27 Comments on “Homemade Graham Crackers”

June @ How to Philosophize with Cake — June 26, 2015 @12:33 am Reply

Those look great! Having tried to make graham crackers at home once before, I can verify they are actually tastier than store-bought--they have a much richer taste. :)
1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — June 26, 2015 @1:47 am Reply
  
  Thanks June. I suspected the homemade version would be much better - it usually is. :)
  1. Djo Fisher — September 17, 2017 @10:42 am Reply
    
    Can you help me and my addled brain please? It says 48 crackers but if you divded the dough into quarters then each quarter into three then those three in half. You only get 24 crackers right? So how do you get 48 except by doubling the recipe
    
    By the way I love the recipe extremely tastey and easy to make, don't want to sound like an arse just confused about the nunbers
    1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — December 20, 2017 @5:05 pm Reply
      
      Sorry for the delay in responding (for some technical reason I wasn't able to respond earlier).
      
      You don't sound like an arse at all! ;) It's just that I wanted to make the crackers as similar to the US crackers as possible.
      
      The crackers are joined, so you get 24 rectangle strips with a join that you break in half. So there are 2 crackers in the rectangle which equals to 48 individual square crackers.
      
      I hope that makes sense? Thanks for stopping by and glad you love the crackers.
Rebecca — June 26, 2015 @7:14 am Reply

What a super idea to make them yourself! I also never tasted the real thing, as you can also not buy them in continental Europe ;) I always substitute with some sort of cookie. But I will definitely try your recipe, now I am curious ;)
thanks and take care, rebecca
simona — June 26, 2015 @10:53 am Reply

LOVELY!! I love Graham Crackers,never tried to do them my-self but always bought them! i'm looking forward to trying this recipe. Just a question: I read runny honey but I'm not able to find the correct translation..what is it?? Thanx, Simona!
1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — June 26, 2015 @11:12 am Reply
  
  Hi Simona, It is honey in the liquid form. The one that's like a thick syrup.
  
  Here we can get honey in 2 forms: in a solid form and liquid-like. I hope that helps. Thanks for stopping by.
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness — June 26, 2015 @7:13 pm Reply

These look so good! I can't believe I ever bought them when I could make them myself!! I love this!!
kennedy Cole@KCole's Creative Corner — June 28, 2015 @4:21 pm Reply

I love making my own graham crackers. They're so much better than the store-bought kind! Great recipe!

My southern food blog is http://kcolescreativecorner.com
Thanks so much, Lisa!:D
1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — July 9, 2015 @11:46 pm Reply
  
  I'll have to stop by and check out your blog. Being British, I'd love to check out some of your southern recipes. :)
  
  Thanks Kennedy.
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen — June 29, 2015 @1:49 pm Reply

These look heavenly! What a fun idea to make them at home. Lovely recipe!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext — June 29, 2015 @5:34 pm Reply

I've been intrigued to try graham crackers for so long now! Definitely going to have a try at making my own! These look fab, Lisa! :D
Sam @ SugarSpunRun — June 29, 2015 @10:42 pm Reply

I never thought to make graham crackers myself, what a neat idea! These look great!! :)
Ro — July 3, 2015 @6:23 pm Reply

You're blog is so beautiful. I am pretty sure I'll be addicted to reading it from now on! I did want to try these graham crackers as I am making a cheesecake for my next post, but since you said it's pretty digestive-like I'm going to make some homemade digestives!
1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — July 9, 2015 @11:56 pm Reply
  
  Thanks so much, Ro. I saw the digestives on your blog - they came out great. You should still try this recipe though because they are different to digestives. It's just so hard to explain why. Try for yourself and you'll know. ;)
  
  Thanks for stopping by.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) — July 5, 2015 @3:23 am Reply

I love homemade graham crackers! Your recipe is super awesome because they actually look like the kind you buy--amazing!
Veronica — July 9, 2015 @9:42 pm Reply

I'm so excited about this recipe!!!My mom use to make these when I was young, but hasn't been able to find her recipe! Thanks!
1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — July 9, 2015 @11:58 pm Reply
  
  That's a shame you've not been able to find her recipe, Veronica. Do come back and let me know how you get on with this recipe and how it compares to your mom's. :)
  
  Thanks for stopping by.
Veronica @ seefoodplay.com — July 13, 2015 @6:56 pm Reply

Talk about great timing for me to find your blog (which is lovely, by the way!) -- I was desperately searching for graham crackers in London stores, only to find that it can't be purchased here!! I will be trying this recipe asap :-))
1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — July 15, 2015 @9:58 pm Reply
  
  I know, right? They seem impossible to find in the UK. I do know that Tesco sell them (they're online), but none of my local stores sell them. Was just easier to make them. And homemade always taste better. :)
  
  Thanks Veronica!
Anna — October 8, 2015 @11:32 am Reply

I'm so glad you've compiled this recipe! Looking to make some for my friend's birthday as she, having recently got back from America, has developed a taste for s'mores! How long do you think they keep for?

Thank you!
Ambaa — June 19, 2017 @5:45 pm Reply

But how do you know they taste like graham crackers if you've never had one???

I tried a recipe for graham crackers last month and they didn't end up tasting like them at all :(

But I'll give this one a try!
1. Lisa | Sweet 2 Eat Baking — June 27, 2017 @4:16 pm Reply
  
  Hi Ambaa, *I* personally can't vouch for the taste in comparison to store-bought graham crackers in the US. My daughter's friend who has tried the US version gave these a big thumbs up in taste comparison. She said my version was better.
  
  Have you ever tried a UK Digestive Biscuit? They're very similar. The biscuit is a little more sweeter than the cracker version, and why people add sugar when making pie crusts using the store-bough version.
  
  If you do try this recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts on a taste test comparison. Thanks for stopping by.
Sean — July 28, 2020 @10:40 pm Reply

This looks just the thing. I love making no-bake chocolate eclairs which use graham crackers which I can only get very occasionally. Having tried them they're very different to a digestive. Digestives have a fender texture, graham crackers are more open inside. There a biscuit for cheese that is very similar. I think made by hovis. However this recipe looks ace, can't wait to try it!

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